Chapter 3 - Cross-Cultural Business

culture

set of values, beliefs, rules, and institutions held by a specific group of people

ethnocentricity

belief that one's own ethnic group or culture is superior to that of others

cultural literacy

detailed knowledge about a culture that enables a person to function effectively within it

subculture

a group of people who share a unique way of life within a larger, dominant culture.

aesthetics

what a culture considers "good taste" in the arts, the imagery evoked by certain expressions, and the symbolism of certain colors

values

ideas, beliefs, and customs to which people are emotionally attached

attitudes

positive or negative evaluations, feelings, and tendencies that individuals harbor toward objects or concepts

cultural trait

anything that represents a culture's way of life, including gestures, material objects, traditions, and concepts

cultural diffusion

process whereby cultural traits spread from one culture to another

cultural imperialism

replacement of one culture's traditions, folk heroes, and artifacts with substitutes from another

manners

appropriate ways of behaving, speaking, and dressing in a culture

customs

habits or ways of behaving in specific circumstances that are passed down through generations in a culture

folk custom

behavior, often dating back several generations, that is practiced by a homogeneous group of people

popular custom

behavior shared by a heterogeneous group or by several groups

social structure

a culture's fundamental organization, including its groups and institutions, its system of social positions and their relationships, and the process by which its resources are distributed

social group

collection of two or more people who identify and interact with each other

social stratification

process of ranking people into social layers or classes

social mobility

ease with which individuals can move up or down a culture's "social ladder"

caste system

system of social stratification in which people are born into a social ranking, or caste, with no opportunity for social mobility

communication

system of conveying thoughts, feeling, knowledge, and information through speech, writing, and actions

lingua franca

third or "link" language understood by two parties who speak different native languages

body language

language communicated through unspoken cues, including hand gestures, facial expressions, and the manipulation of personal space

material culture

all the technology used in a culture to manufacture goods and provide services

Kluckhohn-Strodtbeck framework

framework for studying cultural differences along 6 dimensions, such as focus on past or future events and belief in individual or group responsibility for personal well-being

Hofstede framework

framework for studying cultural differences along five dimensions, such as individualism versus collectivism and equality versus inequality

By developing their personal attributes and skills

How might a person improve their cross-cultural literacy?

cross-cultural literacy.

Detailed knowledge about a culture that enables a person to work happily and effectively within it is called

class system

The most common form of social stratification in the world today is a

relatively well-paying industries

A strong basic education system helps a nation to attract

Hinduism

India is home to more than 90 percent of the adherents of which religion?

Buddhism

Which religion was founded by a prince named Siddhartha Gautama and teaches the cessation of suffering?

Confucianism

Which religion or life philosophy began in China?

The degree to which a culture accepts social inequality

Define the term "power distance" in the Hofstede framework

They tend to be entrepreneurial and welcome foreign business practices

In the Hofstede framework, what is a true statement about cultures that score low on uncertainty avoidance?

brain drain.

The departure of highly educated people from one profession, region, or nation to another is called

Education

What is crucial for passing on traditions, customs, and values?

2 billion

Approximately how many people worldwide practice Christianity?

Islam

Charging interest for money is considered a violation in which religion?

The animal might be a reincarnated human soul

Why do many Hindus refrain from eating or harming living animals?

High uncertainty avoidance

What characterizes a culture that values security and has faith in strong systems of rules and procedures?